Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Mental health consequences of detaining children and families who seek asylum: a scoping review

  • Original Contribution
  • Published:
European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Almost 80 million people globally are forcibly displaced. A small number reach wealthy western countries and seek asylum. Over half are children. Wealthy reception countries have increasingly adopted restrictive reception practices including immigration detention. There is an expanding literature on the mental health impacts of immigration detention for adults, but less about children. This scoping review identified 22 studies of children detained by 6 countries (Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, Netherlands, the UK and the US) through searches of Medline, PsychINFO, Emcare, CINAHL and Scopus data bases for the period January 1992–May 2019. The results are presented thematically. There is quantitative data about the mental health of children and parents who are detained and qualitative evidence includes the words and drawings of detained children. The papers are predominantly small cross-sectional studies using mixed methodologies with convenience samples. Despite weaknesses in individual studies the review provides a rich and consistent picture of the experience and impact of immigration detention on children’s wellbeing, parental mental health and parenting. Displaced children are exposed to peri-migration trauma and loss compounded by further adversity while held detained. There are high rates of distress, mental disorder, physical health and developmental problems in children aged from infancy to adolescence which persist after resettlement. Restrictive detention is a particularly adverse reception experience and children and parents should not be detained or separated for immigration purposes. The findings have implications for policy and practice. Clinicians and researchers have a role in advocacy for reception polices that support the wellbeing of accompanied and unaccompanied children who seek asylum.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. UNHCR (2020) Figures at a glance. United Nations high commissioner for refugees. https://www.unhcr.org/en-au/figures-at-a-glance.html. Accessed 19 Jul 2020

  2. UNHCR (2019) Global trends; forced displacement in 2018. UNHCR, Geneva

    Google Scholar 

  3. Hodes M, Melisa Mendoza V, Anagnostopoulos D, Triantafyllou K, Abdelhady D, Weiss K, Koposov R, Cuhadaroglu F, Hebebrand J, Skokauskas N (2018) Refugees in Europe: national overviews from key countries with a special focus on child and adolescent mental health. Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry 27(4):389–399

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Silove D, Ventevogel P, Rees S (2017) The contemporary refugee crisis: an overview of mental health challenges. World Psychiatry 16(2):130–139

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  5. Silove D, Austin P, Steel Z (2007) No refuge from terror: the impact of detention on the mental health of trauma-affected refugees seeking asylum in Australia. Transcultural Psychiatry 44(3):359–393

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Sampson R, Mitchell G (2013) Global trends in immigration detention and alternatives to detention: practical, political and symbolic rationales. J Migrat Hum Secur 1:97–121

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Dudley M, Steel Z, Mares S, Newman L (2012) Children and young people in immigration detention. Curr Opin Psychiatry 25(4):285–292

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Newman L, Steel Z (2008) The child asylum seeker: psychological and developmental impact of immigration detention. Child Adolesc Psychiatr Clin N Am 17(3):665–683

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. AHRC (2014) The forgotten children: national inquiry into children in immigration detention. Australian Human Rights Commission, Sydney

    Google Scholar 

  10. Bronstein I, Montgomery P (2011) Psychological distress in refugee children: a systematic review. Clin Child Fam Psychol Rev 14(1):44–56

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Lustig SL, Kia-Keating M, Knight WG, Geltman P, Ellis H, Kinzie DJ, Keane T, Saxe GN (2004) Review of child and adolescent refugee mental health. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry 43(1):24–36

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Fazel M, Reed RV, Panter-Brick C, Stein A (2012) Mental health of displaced and refugee children resettled in high-income countries: risk and protective factors. The Lancet 379(9812):266–282

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Reed RV, Fazel M, Jones L, Panter-Brick C, Stein A (2012) Mental health of displaced and refugee children resettled in low-income and middle-income countries: risk and protective factors. The Lancet 379(9812):250–265

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Kien C, Sommer I, Faustmann A, Gibson L, Schneider M, Krczal E, Jank R, Klerings I, Szelag M, Kerschner B, Brattstrom P, Gartlehner G (2019) Prevalence of mental disorders in young refugees and asylum seekers in European Countries: a systematic review. Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry 28(10):1295–1310

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Vossoughi N, Jackson Y, Gusler S, Stone K (2018) Mental health outcomes for youth living in refugee camps: a review. Trauma Violence Abuse 19(5):528–542

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. El Baba R, Colucci E (2018) Post-traumatic stress disorders, depression, and anxiety in unaccompanied refugee minors exposed to war-related trauma: a systematic review. Int J Culture Mental Health 11(2):194–207

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Muller LRF, Buter KP, Rosner R, Unterhitzenberger J (2019) Mental health and associated stress factors in accompanied and unaccompanied refugee minors resettled in Germany: a cross-sectional study. Child Adolescent Psychiatry Mental Health 13:8

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  18. Miles EM, Narayan AJ, Watamura SE (2019) Syrian caregivers in perimigration: a systematic review from an ecological systems perspective. Transl Issues Psychol Sci 5(1):78–90

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. LeBrun A, Hassan G, Boivin M, Fraser S-L, Dufour S, Lavergne C (2015) Review of child maltreatment in immigrant and refugee families. Can J Public Health 106(7):eS45–eS56

    Article  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  20. Bryant RA, Edwards B, Creamer M, O'Donnell M, Forbes D, Felmingham KL, Silove D, Steel Z, Nickerson A, McFarlane AC (2018) The effect of post-traumatic stress disorder on refugees' parenting and their children's mental health: a cohort study. Lancet Public Health 3(5):e249–e258

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Sim A, Fazel M, Bowes L, Gardner F (2018) Pathways linking war and displacement to parenting and child adjustment: a qualitative study with Syrian refugees in Lebanon. Soc Sci Med 200:19–26

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Zion D (2013) On secrets and lies: dangerous information, stigma and asylum seeker research. In: Block K, Riggs E, Haslam N (eds) Values and vulnerabilities: the ethics of research with refugees and asylum seekers. Australian Academic Press, Bowen Hills, pp 191–206

    Google Scholar 

  23. Newman L (2013) Researching immigration detention: documenting damage and ethical dilemmas. In: Block K, Riggs E, Haslam N (eds) Values and vulnerabilities: the ethics of research with refugees and asylum seekers. Australian Academic Press, Bowen HIlls, pp 173–190

    Google Scholar 

  24. Kronick R, Cleveland J, Rousseau C (2018) “Do you want to help or go to war?”: Ethical challenges of critical research in immigration detention in Canada. J Soc Polit Psychol 6(2):644–660

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. Ziersch A, Due C, Arthurson K, Loehr N (2017) Conducting ethical research with people from asylum seeker and refugee backgrounds. In: Liamputtong P (ed) Handbook of research methods in health social sciences. Springer, Singapore, pp 1–19

    Google Scholar 

  26. Block K, Warr D, Gibbs L, Riggs E (2012) Addressing ethical and methodological challenges in research with refugee-background young people: reflections from the field. J Refugee Stud 26(1):69–87

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. Due D, Riggs DW, Augoustinos M (2014) Research with children of migrant and refugee backgrounds: a review of child-centered research methods. Child Indic Res 7(1):209–227

    Article  Google Scholar 

  28. Hopkins P (2008) Ethical issues in research with unaccompanied asylum-seeking children. Children's Geographies 6(1):37–48

    Article  Google Scholar 

  29. Rousseau C (1993) The place of the unexpressed: ethics and methodology for research with refugee children. Can Ment Health 41(4):12–16

    Google Scholar 

  30. Fazel M, Wheeler J, Danesh J (2005) Prevalence of serious mental disorder in 7000 refugees resettled in western countries: a systematic review. The Lancet 365(9467):1309–1314

    Article  Google Scholar 

  31. Robjant K, Hassan R, Katona C (2009) Mental health implications of detaining asylum seekers: systematic review. Br J Psychiatry 194(4):306–312

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  32. von Werthern M, Robjant K, Chui Z, Schon R, Ottisova L, Mason C, Katona C (2018) The impact of immigration detention on mental health: a systematic review. BMC Psychiatry 18(1):382

    Article  Google Scholar 

  33. Baggio S, Gonçalves L, Heeren A, Heller P, Gétaz L, Graf M, Rossegger A, Endrass J, Wolff H (2020) The mental health burden of immigration detention: an updated systematic review and meta-analysis. Criminology 2:219

    Google Scholar 

  34. Cleveland J, Rousseau C (2013) Psychiatric symptoms associated with brief detention of adult asylum seekers in Canada. Can J Psychiatry 58(7):409–416

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  35. Arksey H, O'Malley L (2005) Scoping studies: towards a methodological framework. Int J Soc Res Methodol 8(1):19–32

    Article  Google Scholar 

  36. Tricco AC, Lillie E, Zarin W, O’Brien K, Colquhoun H, Kastner M, Levac D, Ng C, Sharpe JP, Wilson K (2016) A scoping review on the conduct and reporting of scoping reviews. BMC Med Res Methodol 16(1):15

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  37. Peters M, Godfrey CM, Khalil H, McInerney P, Parker D, Soares CB (2015) Guidance for conducting systematic scoping reviews. Int J Evid Based Healthcare 13(3):141–146

    Article  Google Scholar 

  38. Tricco AC, Lillie E, Zarin W, O'Brien KK, Colquhoun H, Levac D, Moher D, Peters MJ, Horsley T, Weeks L (2018) PRISMA extension for scoping reviews (PRISMA-ScR): checklist and explanation. Ann Intern Med 169(7):467–473

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  39. Wood LC (2018) Impact of punitive immigration policies, parent-child separation and child detention on the mental health and development of children. BMJ Paediatrics Open 2(1):e000338

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  40. Musalo K, Lee E (2017) Seeking a rational approach to a regional refugee crisis: lessons from the summer 2014 “surge” of Central American women and children at the US-Mexico border. J Migrat Hum Secur 5(1):137–179

    Article  Google Scholar 

  41. Sriraman NK (2019) Detention of immigrant children—a growing crisis. What is the Pediatrician's role? Curr Probl Pediatr Adolesc Health Care 49(2):50–53

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  42. UNHCR (2014) Options for governments on care arrangements and alternatives to detention for children and families. UNHCR, Geneva

    Google Scholar 

  43. Hamilton C, Anderson K, Barnes R, Dorling K (2011) Administrative detention of children: a global report. United Nations Children’s Fund, New York

    Google Scholar 

  44. Lorek A, Ehntholt K, Nesbitt A, Wey E, Githinji C, Rossor E, Wickramasinghe R (2009) The mental and physical health difficulties of children held within a British immigration detention center: a pilot study. Child Abuse Negl 33(9):573–585

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  45. MacLean SA, Agyeman PO, Walther J, Singer EK, Baranowski KA, Katz CL (2019) Mental health of children held at a United States immigration detention center. Soc Sci Med 230:303–308

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  46. Mares S, Jureidini J (2004) Psychiatric assessment of children and families in immigration detention–clinical, administrative and ethical issues. Aust N Z J Public Health 28(6):520–526

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  47. Steel Z, Momartin S, Bateman C, Hafshejani A, Silove DM, Everson N, Roy K, Dudley M, Newman L, Blick B, Mares S (2004) Psychiatric status of asylum seeker families held for a protracted period in a remote detention centre in Australia. Aust N Z J Public Health 28(6):527–536

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  48. Mares S (2016) The mental health of children and parents detained on Christmas Island: secondary analysis of an Australian Human Rights Commission data set. Health Hum Rights J 18(2):219–232

    Google Scholar 

  49. Rothe EM, Castillo-Matos H, Busquets R (2002) Posttraumtic stress symptoms in Cuban adolescent refugees during camp confinement. Adolesc Psychiatry 26:97–124

    Google Scholar 

  50. Reijneveld SA, de Boer JB, Bean T, Korfker DG (2005) Unaccompanied adolescents seeking asylum: poorer mental health under a restrictive reception. J Nerv Ment Dis 193(11):759–761

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  51. Ehntholt KA, Trickey D, Harris HJ, Chambers H, Scott M, Yule W (2018) Mental health of unaccompanied asylum-seeking adolescents previously held in British detention centres. Clin Child Psychol Psychiatry 23(2):238–257

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  52. Rothe EM, Lewis J, Castillo-Matos H, Martinez O, Busquets R, Martinez I (2002) Posttraumatic stress disorder among Cuban children and adolescents after release from a refugee camp. Psychiatr Serv 53(8):970–976

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  53. Mares S, Newman L, Dudley M, Gale F (2002) Seeking refuge, losing hope: parents and children in immigration detention. Aust Psychiatry 10(2):91–96

    Article  Google Scholar 

  54. Mares S, Zwi K (2015) Sadness and fear: The experiences of children and families in remote Australian immigration detention. J Paediatr Child Health 51(7):663–669

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  55. Zwi K, Mares S (2015) Stories from unaccompanied children in immigration detention: a composite account. J Paediatr Child Health 51(7):658–662

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  56. McCallin M (1992) Living in detention: a review of the psychological well-being of Vietnamese children in the Hong Kong detention centres. International Catholic Child Bureau, Geneva

    Google Scholar 

  57. Sultan A, O'Sullivan K (2001) Psychological disturbances in asylum seekers held in long term detention: a participant-observer account. Med J Aust 175(11–12):593–596

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  58. Essex R, Govintharajah P (2017) Mental health of children and adolescents in Australian alternate places of immigration detention. J Paediatr Child Health 53(6):525–528

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  59. Zwi K, Herzberg B, Dossetor D, Field J (2003) A child in detention: dilemmas faced by health professionals. Med J Aust 179(6):319–322

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  60. Kronick R, Rousseau C, Cleveland J (2015) Asylum-seeking children's experiences of detention in Canada: a qualitative study. Am J Orthopsychiatry 85(3):287–294

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  61. Kronick R, Rousseau C, Cleveland J (2018) Refugee children’s sandplay narratives in immigration detention in Canada. Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry 27(4):423–437

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  62. Zwi K, Mares S, Nathanson D, Tay AK, Silove D (2017) The impact of detention on the social–emotional wellbeing of children seeking asylum: a comparison with community-based children. Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry 27(4):411–422

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  63. Deans AK, Boerma CJ, Fordyce J, De Souza M, Palmer DJ, Davis JS (2013) Use of Royal Darwin Hospital emergency department by immigration detainees in 2011. Med J Aust 199(11):776–778

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  64. Hanes G, Chee J, Mutch R, Cherian S (2019) Paediatric asylum seekers in Western Australia: identification of adversity and complex needs through comprehensive refugee health assessment. J Paediatr Child Health 55(11):1367–1373

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  65. Lenette C, Karan P, Chrysostomou D, Athanasopoulos A (2017) What is it like living in detention? Insights from asylum seeker children’s drawings. Aust J Hum Rights 23(1):42–60

    Article  Google Scholar 

  66. Global Detention Project (2019) Annual report 2019. Global Detention Project, Geneva

    Google Scholar 

  67. Phillips J (2015) Asylum seekers and refugees: what are the facts? (trans: Library P). Research Paper Series 2014–15. Department of Parliamentary Services, Parliament of Australia Canberra

  68. Dutton P (2018) An Interview with the Honourable Peter Dutton, Australia's Minister of Home Affairs. Int Migr 56(5):5–10

    Article  Google Scholar 

  69. Commonwealth of Australia (2017) Serious allegations of abuse, self-harm and neglect of asylum seekers in relation to the Nauru Regional Processing Centre, and any like allegations in relation to the Manus Regional Processing Centre (trans: Affairs LaC, References Committee). Senate, Canberra

    Google Scholar 

  70. Amnesty International (2016) Australia: appalling abuse, neglect of refugees on Nauru. Amnesty International, London

    Google Scholar 

  71. Mares S (2016) Fifteen years of detaining children who seek asylum in Australia—evidence and consequences. Aust Psychiatry 24(1):11–14

    Article  Google Scholar 

  72. Mares S (2020) Mental health consequences of detaining children who seek asylum in Australia and the implications for health professionals: a mixed methods study (2002–2019). Doctorate by Prior Publication. Flinders University, Adelaide

    Google Scholar 

  73. Kaufman J, Birmaher B, Brent D, Rao U, Flynn C, Moreci P, Williamson D, Ryan N (1997) Schedule for affective disorders and schizophrenia for school-age children-present and lifetime version (K-SADS-PL): initial reliability and validity data. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry 36(7):980–988

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  74. First M, Spitzer R, Gibbon M, Williams J (1997) Structured clinical interview for DSM-IV Axis I disorders (SCID-IV). American Psychiatric Press, New York

    Google Scholar 

  75. Goodman R (2001) Psychometric properties of the strengths and difficulties questionnaire. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry 40(11):1337–1345

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  76. Brooks RT, Beard J, Steel Z (2006) Factor structure and interpretation of the K10. Psychol Assess 18(1):62–70

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  77. Zwi K, Woodland L, Williams K, Palasanthiran P, Rungan S, Jaffe A, Woolfenden S (2018) Protective factors for social-emotional well-being of refugee children in the first three years of settlement in Australia. Arch Dis Child 103(3):261–268

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  78. Anda RF, Felitti VJ, Bremner JD, Walker JD, Whitfield C, Perry BD, Dube SR, Giles WH (2006) The enduring effects of abuse and related adverse experiences in childhood. A convergence of evidence from neurobiology and epidemiology. Eur Arch Psychiatry Clin Neurosci 256(3):174–186

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  79. Hanes G, Sung L, Mutch R, Cherian S (2017) Adversity and resilience amongst resettling Western Australian paediatric refugees. J Paediatr Child Health 53(9):882–888

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  80. Pynoos RS (1992) Scoring and interpretation of the post-traumatic stress disorder reactive index (PTSDRI), Department of Psychiatry. University of California, Los Angeles

    Google Scholar 

  81. Achenbach TM, Ruffle TM (2000) The Child Behavior Checklist and related forms for assessing behavioral/emotional problems and competencies. Pediatr Rev 21(8):265–271

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  82. Global Detention Project (2017) United States immigration detention. Global Detention Project https://www.globaldetentionproject.org/countries/americas/united-states. Accessed 16 Jul 2020

  83. Ventevogel P, De Vries G, Scholte WF, Shinwari NR, Faiz H, Nassery R, van den Brink W, Olff M (2007) Properties of the Hopkins Symptom Checklist-25 (HSCL-25) and the Self-Reporting Questionnaire (SRQ-20) as screening instruments used in primary care in Afghanistan. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol 42(4):328–335

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  84. Bean T, Derluyn I, Eurelings-Bontekoe E, Broekaert E, Spinhoven P (2007) Validation of the multiple language versions of the Hopkins Symptom Checklist-37 for refugee adolescents. Adolescence 42(165):51–71

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  85. Bean T, Derluyn I, Eurelings-Bontekoe E, Broekaert E, Spinhoven P (2006) Validation of the multiple language versions of the Reactions of Adolescents to Traumatic Stress questionnaire. J Trauma Stress 19(2):241–255

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  86. Spence SH (1998) A measure of anxiety symptoms among children. Behav Res Ther 36(5):545–566

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  87. Birleson P, Hudson I, Buchanan DG, Wolff S (1987) Clinical evaluation of a self-rating scale for depressive disorder in childhood (Depression Self-Rating Scale). J Child Psychol Psychiatry 28(1):43–60

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  88. Smith P, Perrin S, Dyregrov A, Yule W (2003) Principal components analysis of the impact of event scale with children in war. Pers Individ Dif 34(2):315–322

    Article  Google Scholar 

  89. Barkham M, Mellor-Clark J, Connell J, Cahill J (2006) A core approach to practice-based evidence: a brief history of the origins and applications of the CORE-OM and CORE System. Couns Psychother Res 6(1):3–15

    Article  Google Scholar 

  90. Steel Z, Silove D, Brooks R, Momartin S, Alzuhairi B, Susljik I (2006) Impact of immigration detention and temporary protection on the mental health of refugees. Br J Psychiatry 188(1):58–64

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  91. MacLean SA, Agyeman PO, Walther J, Singer EK, Baranowski KA, Katz CL (2020) Characterization of the mental health of immigrant children separated from their mothers at the US–Mexico border. Psychiatry Res 286:112555

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  92. American Psychological Association (2018) Statement on the effects of deportation and forced separation on immigrants, their families, and communities: a policy statement by the society for community research action: division 27 of the APA. Am J Community Psychol 62(1–2):3–12

    Google Scholar 

  93. Rowatt WC, Al-Kire RL, Dunn H, Leman J (2020) Attitudes toward separating immigrant families at the United States-Mexico Border. Anal Soc Issues Public Policy. https://doi.org/10.1111/asap.12198

    Article  Google Scholar 

  94. Appleyard K, Egeland B, van Dulmen MH, Sroufe LA (2005) When more is not better: the role of cumulative risk in child behavior outcomes. J Child Psychol Psychiatry 46(3):235–245

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  95. Evans GW, Li D, Whipple SS (2013) Cumulative risk and child development. Psychol Bull 139(6):1342–1396

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  96. Dudley M (2016) Helping professionals and Border Force secrecy: effective asylum-seeker healthcare requires independence from callous policies. Aust Psychiatry 24(1):15–18

    Article  Google Scholar 

  97. Howe KR (2012) Mixed methods, triangulation, and causal explanation. J Mixed Methods Res 6(2):89–96

    Article  Google Scholar 

  98. Ngo T, Hodes M (2019) Pervasive Refusal Syndrome in asylum-seeking children: review of the current evidence. Clin Child Psychol Psychiatry 25:227–241

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  99. Bodegard G (2005) Life-threatening loss of function in refugee children: another expression of pervasive refusal syndrome? Clin Child Psychol Psychiatry 10(3):337–350

    Article  Google Scholar 

  100. Isaacs D (2019) Pervasive refusal syndrome and Nauru. J Paediatr Child Health 55(2):127–128

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  101. MSF (2018) Indefinite despair-The tragic mental health consequences of offshore processing on Nauru. https://msf.org.au/article/statements-opinion/indefinite-despair-mental-health-consequences-nauru. Accessed 14 Mar 2019

  102. Achenbach TM, Becker A, Döpfner M, Heiervang E, Roessner V, Steinhausen HC, Rothenberger A (2008) Multicultural assessment of child and adolescent psychopathology with ASEBA and SDQ instruments: research findings, applications, and future directions. J Child Psychol Psychiatry 49(3):251–275

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  103. Zeanah CH, Smyke AT, Dumitrescu A (2002) Attachment disturbances in young children. II: Indiscriminate behavior and institutional care. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry 41(8):983–989

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  104. Silove D (2013) The ADAPT model: a conceptual framework for mental health and psychosocial programming in post conflict settings. Intervention 11(3):237–248

    Article  Google Scholar 

  105. Fazel M, Betancourt TS (2018) Preventive mental health interventions for refugee children and adolescents in high-income settings. Lancet Child Adolescent Health 2(2):121–132

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  106. Hodes M, Vostanis P (2018) Practitioner Review: mental health problems of refugee children and adolescents and their management. J Child Psychol Psychiatry 60(7):716–731

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  107. Briskman L, Zion D (2014) Dual loyalties and impossible dilemmas: health care in immigration detention. Public Health Ethics 7(3):277–286

    Article  Google Scholar 

  108. Essex R (2016) Healthcare and complicity in Australian immigration detention. Monash Bioeth Rev 34(2):136–147

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  109. UN (1990) Convention on the rights of the child. Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Geneva

    Google Scholar 

  110. Newman L, Proctor N, Dudley M (2013) Seeking asylum in Australia: immigration detention, human rights and mental health care. Aust Psychiatry 21(4):315–320

    Article  Google Scholar 

  111. Kronick R, Rousseau C, Beder M, Goel R (2017) International solidarity to end immigration detention. The Lancet 389(10068):501–502

    Article  Google Scholar 

  112. Essex R (2019) Psychology and its response to major human rights abuses. Eur Psychol 24(2):195–203

    Google Scholar 

  113. Silove D, Mares S (2018) The mental health of asylum seekers in Australia and the role of psychiatrists. Br J Psych Int 15(3):65–68

    Google Scholar 

  114. Zion D (2013) Extending the clinical contract: advocacy as a part of ethical health care for asylum seekers. Am J Bioethics 13(7):19–21

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

The research for this paper was undertaken during PhD candidature at Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia. An earlier version of the work is included in the completed thesis.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Psychiatry, University of NSW, Sydney, Australia

    Sarah Mares

Authors
  1. Sarah Mares
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Sarah Mares.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Mares, S. Mental health consequences of detaining children and families who seek asylum: a scoping review. Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry 30, 1615–1639 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00787-020-01629-x

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00787-020-01629-x

Keywords

Search

Navigation